Why? Why would you not want to be totally free? And who told you that you could not be? (Gen. 3:11)

 When I hear people continue to repeat that drumbeat which seems to play continuously...that one that says we will always be sinners...we will always sin...we can never be totally free from sinning until we ‘get to heaven’,... the question I am compelled to ask is this: “Who told you that, and what particular sin are you struggling with that you seem unable to master and overcome?” And why is it taking so long for you to repent of it? I don’t ask this from some position of superiority or ‘holier than thou’ mindset either; trust me. 

 Because it would seem that what we are really saying here, is that while Jesus loves us, He really can’t empower us to do what He said we would do, which is to set us free so we could ‘go and sin no more’. (John 5:14; 8:11) 

 He told us that we would ‘know the truth and the truth would set us free’ (John 8:32-36) but that must have just been some poetic language it would seem, yes? And set us free from...what?

 So we are told we can abide in Jesus but that doesn’t mean you will stop sinning, correct? Because that is not how 1 John 3:6 reads...”Whoever abides in Him - no longer sins.” 

 If you are continuing to stumble and sin, there are probably a couple of valid reasons as to why, and we can explore those soon. But I want to address some faulty logic here that should at least get us thinking and maybe reconsider this ‘lie’ or ‘stronghold’ that has derailed us from ‘walking like Jesus walked’, which I might add, we are commanded to do if we are abiding in Him. (1 John 2:6). And Jesus did not sin. 

 Let’s pick a relatively common ‘sin’ that many of us succumb to, and that would be manifesting the ‘bad fruit’ of impatience and then blowing up on others with outburst of anger. Paul mentions that being an ‘evident deed of the flesh’ there in Gal. 5:19-21. He also says those who continue to practice these things will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. His words, not mine. 

 It probably happens at home with your kids or your spouse; or while driving your car amongst so many ‘idiots’ (as I hear many refer to them) out there on the same road you travel. Maybe it crops up at work with others or possibly when you get stuck in a long line somewhere and things don’t go as planned. We know - ‘impatience is a ‘weakness’ most of us struggle with (we usually tell ourselves as opposed to calling it sin). We tell ourselves we all ‘miss the mark’ and we are ‘all human and imperfect’ and we all have 'bad days’. 

 So we get impatient and then irritated and before you know it, all this ugly ‘fruit’ comes gushing out, as we know that from the abundance of your heart your mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). It’s not pretty. And maybe you are one of those who feel genuine remorse after the fact and try to ‘repair the damage’; damage you inflicted with ugly, loud words. You apologize...again. You ask God to forgive you...again. Yet, another day rolls in and it’s the same song, but seventh verse and you fall...again. 

 Have you ever asked yourself if this is as good as it gets, this ‘walking with Jesus’? Can you ever die, completely, to ‘impatience’ and these outbursts of anger? The more we fall in to these patterns, the more readily we come to accept it as ‘that is just the way we are’ and thank God for His mercy and grace and forgiveness, yes? I mean, after all...’nobody is perfect, just forgiven’. (I suppose that talk of being a ‘new creation’ is just more poetic language as well? 2 Cor. 5:17) And if we remain ‘sinners saved by grace’ then it would be expected that a ‘sinner is gonna sin’, is he not? So we accept the lie: we will always sin. I say ‘lie’ because 1 John 3:6,9 says differently.  And I'm gonna have to side with Paul's comment here in - "Let God be true....and every man a liar." (Rom. 3:4) 

 But here is the question I want to pose for you to consider. Your sin...the one you continue to fall in and repeat and commit over and over...seemingly unable to overcome; you just want to claim God’s mercy and grace to cover your sin as you try harder to do better. Sounds so noble. But do you apply that same line of thinking when it concerns others who struggle with other ‘sins’ that seem far worse than yours? 

 The guy who just can’t break free from murdering people, do we apply the same 'grace' to his sin? How about the rapists who violates other women against their will? 

 Or the wife-beater who may feel genuine remorse every time he succumbs to that outburst and rage...are you going to tell his wife whose eyes are swollen shut that she just needs to accept the fact that nobody is perfect, just forgiven and that he's 'just a saint who sins' ? 

 How about that pedophile who lives down the street from you and hangs around the local playground after he attends your morning church service because, he really is trying to turn his life around. Are you going to shrug your shoulders when you hear he has molested another child again...and remind all the outraged neighbors that ‘Christians are not perfect, just forgiven’? 

 Are you going to apply that same ‘standard’ to the thief as you do your own sin...because...a sinner is gonna sin and we can’t ever cease from sinning? 

 Do you see the hypocrisy in this? Remember...the next time that ‘monster’ who kidnapped that innocent child and tortured them before killing them....and you are filled with ‘righteous indignation and demand he be put to death in the most brutal and painful way possible...that with the same measure you pass judgement on others, so shall God judge you. (Matt. 7:1-2) (And No, I’m not saying people convicted of committing such crimes should be released and not held accountable for their actions!) 

 When was the last time you read Romans 1:28-32 and made note of a wide ‘variety of sins’ (from murder to gossip) that according to Paul..."those who practice such things are deserving of death’? 

 How can we be so blind to this double-standard? So maybe you don’t blow up in fits of rage like you once did...just ‘every now and then’. First of all, that part of your old nature is supposed to be ‘dead’. (Gal. 5:24; Rom. 6:1,18). I’ve had a few pets I buried over the years because they...well, they died. I’ve yet to see them ‘pop up every now and then’. 

You say you’ve made great strides in this area but will probably always continue to stumble and fall ...every now and then. So that neighbor of yours who you find out is a convicted pedophile offers to babysit your kids or grandkids one afternoon. You met them at church and were made aware of their past. Are you fine with the fact they don’t fall in to that old sin “as much as they once did”? I mean, maybe every once in a while they might slip because they are human after all. 

 What I am trying to point out here is the faulty mindset that has hindered us from walking in the freedom that Christ provides for us after the hefty price He paid with His own blood. 

 Where do You ‘draw that line’ in how much sin we should tolerate to continue living in our lives? I believe Paul mentioned twice how even a ‘little leaven’ still spreads through the entire loaf. And did Jesus suggest we 'sin less' or 'sin no more'? (Matt. 5:48)

 I can hear voices wanting to caution me here about discouraging new or young believers that might be struggling with multiple areas of sin in their lives. Would you have wanted to caution Jesus there when He declared that if we even entertain lustful thoughts in our hearts that we’ve already committed the sin of adultery? Would you want Jesus to back down from His statement that if we call a brother a ‘fool’ we are in danger of hell fire? (Matt. 5:22,28) 

 Maybe we should start proclaiming the whole counsel of God and make it know that people who are still obviously bound...need not live that way anymore and preach the truth...that they may know the truth and that the truth will set them free; according to Jesus! (John 8:32-36) 

 How many ‘pharaohs’ stand behind pulpits today keeping God’s people in the dark and bound by enabling them, telling them over and over that they are sinners (and remain slaves-John 8:34); and will continue to be "sinners saved by grace") yet they need not worry because all is well with their soul. Yet, parishioners, (God's sheep) struggle under the weight of condemnation, and singing louder and longer just doesn’t seem to do the job anymore of getting out from underneath that. Maybe if we taught them from the word that they can truly walk according to the spirit and not the flesh... that Rom. 8:1 could become a reality in their lives. (IF you struggle with condemnation, then you are not 'in Christ!)

 I can hear God raising His voice to churches across the land saying: “LET MY PEOPLE GO...that they may come out and worship Me”. (Ex. 9:1; John 4:23) 

 If you have been sitting on a church pew for ten, fifteen, twenty-plus years and continue to remain ‘carnal’, finding solace in Paul’s reference to ‘babes in Christ who are carnal’ (1 Cor. 3:1-3), then something is not right. Or, as James wrote: “My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:10; Rom. 8:5-8,13) 

 Let me give you two quick reasons here in closing today why Satan is behind propagating this lie to so many sincere believers today; this lie that we will never be free of sinning on ‘this side of heaven’. 1- Sin is what gives access to him to enter in to our lives to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. (Eph. 4:27 John 10:10; Matt. 12:43-45). Sins of the flesh is ‘serpent food’. (Gen. 3:9,14). And Two – you do know that ‘sin’ = ‘lawlessness’. (1 John 3:4). Would you please now, turn once again to Matt. 7:21-23 and identify the reason why those 'many people' who 'said, Lord, Lord' and were busy doing so many wonderful things in the name of the Lord, were denied access into the kingdom. Jesus tells them plainly that ‘He never knew them’ and... what else? ____________________ 

 Tomorrow, Lord willing, a look at the reasons we may continue to practice or ‘fall’ into sin.